Natural Hair Relaxers

If you love the way your hair looks when it's sleek, smooth and straight, relaxer treatments can help you to soften curls and kinks to give you the style you're looking for. Professional hair relaxer treatments can become expensive over time, and it may be inconvenient to head to the salon whenever you need a touch-up to straighten new growth. At Walgreens, we offer hair products that allow you to relax your hair at home with an assortment of options that contain natural ingredients, allowing you to save money and time.

How Do Hair Relaxers Work?

A hair relaxer is a treatment used primarily by African Americans to straighten the hair. When you apply a hair relaxer, the ingredients that it contains break the chemical bonds that form along the hair strands. These bonds are what cause your hair to take on a curly, twisted or kinky shape. Once the bonds are broken, the hair can be combed straight. Then, the bonds reform, so that your hair remains free of curls. Results from a hair relaxer typically last for several weeks until new growth becomes long enough to form curls once more.

The Natural Difference

Traditional hair relaxers produce results with chemicals. One of the most commonly used ingredients is lye. While lye is highly effective as an active ingredient, it is a very strong chemical. Many people find that the ingredient leaves their hair dry and stressed. Natural hair relaxers are available as an alternative to traditional products. Also called no-lye formulas, these hair relaxer treatments are gentler to the hair strands and less likely to cause side effects. They are also less likely to cause scalp irritation, making them preferred by many people with sensitive skin.

Comparing Natural Relaxers

Natural hair relaxers come in different forms to meet the needs of everyone who wants to have straighter, smoother tresses. Often, products are intended for specific hair textures with stronger formulas available for individuals with coarser, thicker hair. Formulas also differ in the supportive ingredients that they contain. Many are enriched with natural plant oils and butters that replace moisture in order to promote hair health and decrease the risk of over-drying the hair during a treatment. Reading the product descriptions will help you select the perfect natural hair relaxer to ensure beautiful results from your at-home treatments.